a preview for a party yet to come

This was a post from August 2007, when we had just met Rafer Johnson and were eagerly awaiting the day he could come join our family.

In a couple of weeks he will be two years old, and I've been thinking about how much joy he has brought to November Hill, as well as how much we've learned from him about donkeys and patience and healing. And grace.

His mother, Contessa, still reminds me of Salina, and I wonder if Rafer feels that too.

I have called him a being of light, which he is, and he is also an independent donkey who will take himself a break from the herd when he wants one, happily hiding behind the round bale for a private snack while Salina and Redford call to him to come back.

If you look into his little donkey eyes in the pictures below, you see the very same look we see today. He has a gaze that could melt granite, or iron.

How did we ever live without the donkeys?








His name is Rafer Johnson and he is coming to live with us in the new year, after he weans from his mom, Contessa.

It is just not possible to describe how cute and sweet he is. He's very good at conveying that himself!

war horse

This is one of the coolest things I've seen in a long time. Wish I could see the show in person!

july - it's a redford day

I've been waiting for the perfect July photo, one that captures the heat, the dryness we're having right now, and the dusty feel to the air. This morning my son was out assisting me with barn chores, and he got the shots I was waiting for.



Redford is about a year and a half old right now. He has been much slower to mature than Rafer Johnson was, but I think in these pictures you can see that he has finally begun to lose his "baby" self and is transforming into a more mature young donkey.

Sheaffer, here you can see that he is practicing some of his "donkey dressage extravaganza" moves. NO ROLLKUR HERE! He is behind the vertical but I suspect he got wind of the upcoming performance and is trying to be funny.



In spite of the dry spell we're having, July is also an incredibly bountiful month. We have so many yummy things growing, ripening, and being harvested. And as all donkey lovers know, every donkey activity ends with some happy munching.



Here's to a relaxed, productive, and bountiful month for all.

tuesday's drama

Somehow, even knowing our wacky feline crew, it's just a bit startling to walk up the stairs and see THIS looking at you:



Don't worry. We opened the window and let him in. :)

the drama starts early on November Hill

Thanks to my amazing son, who heard me shrieking that Dickens was facing down another snake and ran outside with my camera, we actually have good photos of the early morning drama here on November Hill.

I was on my way to the bathroom when I glanced out the bedroom window and saw Dickens stalking. It took a moment to see the snake, which was quite successfully camouflaged as the root of a tree.



I realized it wasn't and then saw it moving oddly - it turned out the snake had a bird, which appeared to have been previously dead, as it was covered in yellow jackets, flies, and one inchworm!

The snake coiled around its meal, too distracted by the yellow jackets to get into it with a cat-turned-mongoose.



The approach of my son caused the snake to give up the meal and head for the holly tree, with Dickens carefully tracking its every move.



It became apparent as the snake moved that it had already eaten! Don't forget you can click on the photos to enlarge them, if you want to see the finer details of this unfolding episode. :)



I don't think this is the same snake from a few weeks ago, as the previous one had an entirely white belly.



Dickens was riveted to the tree.



I held my breath and hoped he wouldn't try to climb up and capture the snake in mid-climb.



By the time the snake got to a place of safety, where presumably it would digest that big meal, Dickens had settled in to monitor the situation.



We didn't manage to capture it in a photograph, but a few moments later, he was joined by fellow comrade-in-snake-hunting, Mystical Kit. The two laid themselves out in the shade, like twin guardians, and kept their collective eyes on the tree.



I suspect we're in for an exciting week if Monday morning has started out with such a bang.